Tips to help you survive during an emergency when you must leave yor home.

If society falls, you are going to be on your own for a while. There will be no grocery stores, sporting goods stores, gas stations, banks, hospitals, or anything else.

In such a situation, it is preferable to stay home and shelter there. However, circumstances may arise that forces you to leave the relative security of your ‘home base’ and set out on the road for a safer place to settle.

Bug-out-Bag

When planning for a survival situation, whether it be a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, fire, etc, or something more long-lasting, like a biological attack, collapse of the economy, martial law, or any number of other possibilities, the first thing you must plan for is the first 72 hours. You should have a ‘Bug-out-Bag’ for each member of your family. And it should be ready and available for use at a moments notice.

What is a Bug-out-Bag? It’s a collection of items that will be used temporarily for day to day operating in case of emergency. It is stocked with enough food, water, and supplies to enable you to survive on your own for a minimum of three days. It should sustain you until you can reach the place where you have stored all your other emergency supplies.

How do you get a Bug out Bag? Commercially stocked BoBs are available online from numerous suppliers. But consider making one yourself. It will not only be cheaper, but you have control over everything that goes into it so it can be tailored to your particular needs and climate. But don’t go overboard. Pack the least amount of gear and supplies as possible in order to keep the weight and size manageable. You will need to survive on your skills more than on the gear you carry.

At a bare minimum, your pack should include:

A three-day supply of food and water

water is the most important of the two, as you can hunt and gather to feed yourself in most areas

A way to sanitize water

Map(s) and compass

Flashlight (headlamps are also excellent choices because they enable you to use both hands)

Emergency shelter

Extra clothing, warm clothing for winter (practice layering clothes)

At least three different ways of making fire

Poncho or other rain gear

First aid kit

Whistle

Knife and multi-tool (a Swiss Army Knife will eliminate the need to carry some other pieces of gear, but a good hunting knife is always a good idea)